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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · wake · lash · rash · clip · deal · toast · vault

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wake — a trail
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. clip — to cut
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. clip — for paper
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chip — to eat
  22. clip — a video
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com